


Dance Dance Conversation

by Crazy_luna



Series: Owari Magica [65]
Category: Owari Magica
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:47:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26808367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crazy_luna/pseuds/Crazy_luna
Summary: Percy and Vanessa hang out
Series: Owari Magica [65]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1815574





	Dance Dance Conversation

**Author's Note:**

> Vanessa Verlac © IllegalSympathy 1355 Points
> 
> Percy Richards © ice-ice-bunny 1225 points

Vanessa was walking the halls of the school, not counting her magical girl lifestyle Vanessa's hours had been consistent of organising a week off for her trip to New York as well as being ping-ponged back and forth between classrooms and guidance councillors was leaving her stressed out and in desperate need of a break from all of that.  
  
Percy had felt like a stranger at Haslan for a while, and his talk with Salem... helped that feeling, and worsened it somehow. On one hand, he had a better idea of what his "future" could actually mean. On the other? The void of confusion and uncertainty was the only real weight on that end of the scale. He could pick to become a career magi, or he could keep going on his straight shot to nowhere. And that wasn't even counting how his most recent fight with Ana left a shiny scar over the bridge of his nose... But classes had just let out, and as he pulled a denim jacket on over a shirt for some punk band he'd never listened to he spotted a familiar face. "Nessa! Hey, what's up?"  
  
Turning in her high-heels to face her junior, Vanessa shot a smile at Percy before seeing his face. "Oh wow, Ana said you two had a fight but, wow. That looks painful" she winced.  
  
Percy rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "It's not that bad. I mean, my parents didn't even seem like they noticed, so. Can't be that bad, right?" Even as he was saying it, his own confidence dipped a bit. So he really did look that bad. He shook his head to clear that thought away, he didn't want to bother her with his problems. "So what are you up to? Haven't seen you around here in ages."  
  
"I guess it just looks...fresh" Vanessa decided after a pause. "Not much, just exams and drama, the usual, you know"? She laughed fidgeting with her sleeves.  
  
He nodded, blowing some air out. "Phew, I get that. Did I mention I had to do like, the entire schoolyear's worth of worksheets, tests, homework, and some extra, all in the last month-ish? Just to get 'back on track'? It was kind of insane. I don't think anything can ever phase me again, school-wise."  
  
Vanessa let out a low whistle, that sounded rough. "Sounds like we could both do with letting off some steam. You know about that old arcade near by the seafront"? She offered what was probably the only pastime she knew Percy enjoyed.  
  
Last time he'd been to the arcade, he flirted with Belladonna and made a deal with the devil to make sure Ana, now Nessa's girlfriend, wouldn't be harmed in the course of Bella's plans, and effectively promised the other girl that he'd abandon his friends for her the moment the going got rough. He kept his face in check as he nodded. "Sure, they have really good popcorn. Have you ever been?"  
  
"It's been years" she admitted, way back before all this, friends from her old Ballet studio would go there with her after practice. She wondered how they were doing... "Honestly I wasn't even sure it's still there, glad to hear the old place is still standing. Do they still have DDR"? She prompted, a little excited.  
  
Percy nodded, clapping his hands together. Okay! She hadn't noticed, he was golden. He could get excited now, without worrying about things like 'consequences' or 'worrying'. Of course no one knew how close he was with Belladonna, and he didn't need to upset them by bringing it up. "Yeah! I'm not the best at it, but I do it sometimes! It's always more fun with a partner, you know?"  
  
"There was this one guy who used to go there who would play both machines at the same time. Guy would walk away soaked in sweat but last I was there nobody ever beat his high score. Fancy a challenge"? She shot a cheeky smirk as Percy, looping her arm through his as they headed out of the school and to the sea front.  
  
He nodded, letting her lead the way as if it wasn't etched into his heart permanently. "Oh please, Nessa. You know I always accept a challenge." He waggled his eyebrows at her. "But you will have to let me get the refreshments. Salmon and cucumber sandwiches are delicious, but not really fitting for a sweaty DDR arcade venture."  
  
Vanessa blushed at that comment, what was wrong with salmon and cucumber sandwiches? "Too refined for the guy whose eaten wood"? She asked, gently shoving her shoulder into him as they walked. "I might just make you regret that offer" she warned with a laugh, sticking her tongue out at him.  
  
He couldn't help the near-cackle that escaped him. "I've eaten more than wood, Nessa. Try this: I took a chunk out of an arcade seat just to prove I could. And it's not too refined, it just doesn't fit the mood! There's a time and a place for everything. Cucumber and salmon sandwiches for the meetings and parties, cake for anytime, plastic and popcorn for the arcade. You know?"  
  
Vanessa crinkled her nose at that. Who knew whose sweaty butt had been on those seats? "Remind me never to give you mouth to mouth" she noted as they approached the boardwalk. "Any game you prefer"? she prompted.  
  
He scoffed. "Please, only the luckiest get to grace these lips." He posed dramatically for emphasis. "And games... I enjoy most of them, but I've always been big on guitar hero."  
  
Vanessa laughed at his comment as the arcade came in sight, her pace quickened. It was kind of exciting, to be going there with friends again and she couldn't help the smile stretching across her face.  
  
Percy kept up, heart getting faster. He was excited! His only concern was if they'd see Bella or not. He wanted this to be just time for him and Nessa, they hadn't had that properly since... he cut her hair for her? He didn't want to count the training session, since the week surrounding that had gotten so muddied in his mind.  
  
Once inside the arcade, the pair marched up to the counter for tokens. Scanning the area for any new consoles, Vanessa's eyes landed on the Dance machine, it's obnoxious remixes of "anime-esque" songs ringing out from across the room. There were only a handful of people in today, school only having just let out, after all so there would be no waiting for any games. "Anything catch your eye"? She asked.  
  
"Well, DDR was the plan, right Nessa?" He backed up in the direction of the game. "You get first song pick."  
  
Vanessa spun through the songs so fast even she couldn't see exactly what they were, but muscle memory meant she landed on her regular warm up, _'Speed Over Beethoven'_ by ROSE. Kicking off her heels and taking place on the neutral square between arrows, she watched the countdown tick down. Instinctively going to tie her hair back ,she flushed a little remembering just how little there was to maintain this time around. "Ready"? She tried to pass off casually.  
  
Percy nodded, toeing off his own shoes and standing, shaking out the stiffness in his limbs. He offered her a grin. "Duh."  
  
The countdown finished, Vanessa began to mimic the steps presented to them on the screen, keeping up with the beat she flashed a grin to Percy. "You're pretty good at this, come here a lot then"?  
  
Percy kept his breathing level as he followed the steps, eyes on the screen. "Yep, it's one of the places that I started going to when I was trying to get out of the house. I like it, and there's always something new to do."  
  
"Well, if you ever need a player two, I'm not doing much these days" she added between the machine calling out _GOOD JOB_! and _AWESOME_ between the beats and pulsating noises of steps being followed.  
  
Percy laughed, matching the motions and keeping in rhythm. "Yeah? Why not bring Ana here for a date night? That might be fun!"  
  
"I'll ask her when I get home" She smiled, spinning with a flourish as the song came to it's end. A good score, but nowhere near the mysterious DDR-Savant of Seaford's numbers. Vanessa blew a frustrated lock of hair out of her face.  
  
Percy sighed and stretched. "How about we do one more practice round, then we get some snacks and get serious?" He offered, clicking the 'random song' option.  
  
"Sure thing, Perce" She rolled her feet, dancing bare-foot wasn't the best idea but was a million times better than doing this in heels. _BUTTERFLY_ by smile d.k was about to come on with a countdown. "How's things with you and Luis now? I heard ‘the wardens’ let him loose" she asked, having herd only a little bit from Ana.  
  
Percy wasn't as great at DDR, but this song wasn't terrible. He hummed. "He's still my friend, I was kind of overreacting when I thought he hated me. And him and Sierra are getting along, I think!"  
  
"Glad it was nothing" She told him, beginning the "dance" or rather "Stomping" to the rhythm. "Sorry again for thinking you two were dating, I hope that didn't make things weird between you two". She added between the songs "Aieeee-ee-aye-aieyay"'s and the machine's "EXCELLENT"'s.  
  
Percy missed a few steps, but mostly kept pace. "It- wasn't too weird, but it's fine. I just don't know if I ever will get to date anyone, considering everything. I'm almost jealous of you and Ana, in the fact that you're just... actually doing it." He didn't mention anything that Ana had told him in private, but even if he knew things weren't perfect, he still was a bit jealous of the relationship in concept. He was lonely in a very particular way, feeling like something that always got danced around, but never kept. Almost like the 'perfect' score in DDR.  
  
"I wouldn't say it's easy" Vanessa confessed. "Even without everything going on, I feel like I'm on eggshells" She fumbled a step, the skin of her feet sticking to the plastic of the machine "Dont get me wrong, I don't mean Ana's mood or anything. I mean like, there's a lot of gaps between us that I'm constantly worried I'm gonna cock up, you know"? She had talked a little bit about this with Ana, but she guessed she just wanted an unbiased opinion about how to proceed. Money, age and even living arrangements, there was an imbalance Vanessa wasn't sure how to navigate without coming off as a predator, taking advantage of Ana's emotional state.  
  
Percy felt his eyebrows rising. "What do you mean? I mean- I don't want to get in the middle, I'm not trying to be like that, but if you want to talk about it- yes!" He landed a 'perfect' at the hardest point in the song, laughing. "I'm good at listening!"  
  
"I mean, I don't want to make things awkward, it's just. I'm worried, you know? I invited her to live with me partly to help her and partly because my apartment's too big" she was still doing well enough at the game, sticky feet notwithstanding. "But now were dating. By the end of the school year I'll be a bone fide adult expected to go to college or get a job and she's still in high school. I get it, we probably wont live to see thirty, so I should just enjoy it, but I'm scared that I'm pushing her" The song came to an end, her score wasn't as good as last time but still not terrible. She didnt care, she came here to NOT worry about the future and what was she doing?  
  
Percy pulled off his jacket, folding it over the guard rail behind them. "Bone fide adult? Nessa, you're what, one year older? She's what, gonna be in high school a year longer? My parents had a bigger age gap than that. And they're gonna live a whole lot longer. Don't assume you're pushing anything, listen to what she's saying. If she's happy, she can speak for herself. If she's uncomfortable or unhappy with what you're doing, then listen to her." He ran a hand through his hair, feeling the chilly air on his skin as he started getting sweatier. "Don't get in your own head. There's two people in a relationship, right?"  
  
Vanessa's shoulders sagged. He was right, part of her kept acting like Ana was this fragile flower that would break at the drop of a hat, but she had said so herself, Ana's proved herself again and again that she can handle it. So why was she making it so much harder than it had to be? "Yeah, you're right" She sighed, defeated. "How 'bout those snacks then, huh"?  
  
He frowned and nudged her shoulder with his own. "Hey, chin up. I'm not being harsh because I'm trying to hurt you, I'm being straight up because I don't want anyone to act like Ana is anything other than the biggest badass I know. I'm not trying to be mean, Nessa."  
  
"I know that" she nudged back. "I guess I'm annoyed with myself for doubting that, you know"? She noted, putting her heels back on to head to the food court. "You...you get people so much easier than I do, I wish I had that confidence" she admitted.  
  
He shook his head. "I don't think I really understand people. I'm just trying. And I only really 'get' Ana because I was looking. I'm... just trying, as much as anyone."  
  
Vanessa rested her head on Percy's shoulder for a moment. "You're better than you give yourself credit for, you know that, right"?  
  
He flapped a hand. "Am I, really, or are you just being nice because I'm buying?" He rested a hip against the snack counter. "We may never know."  
  
"You offered so you're buying even if I call you a bitch" she bumped his hip with her own before adding a snarky "Bitch" with a lopsided smile.  
  
He rolled his eyes. "Pick what you want, ma'am." He used the word with force and a grin, hoping to make her scoff.  
  
Unable to hide her snort at his comment, she looked over the menu before ordering onion rings and a large diet coke. No need to break his bank just because he offered.  
  
Percy nods and orders some corn bites and a cherry coke, smiling at her. He paid it without blinking, halfway thinking about the candy they could get in a few more rounds of DDR. "That good?"  
  
"What can I say, stress makes the bar pretty low for jokes" She noted with a sly grin as the headed back with their food.  
  
Percy smiled and shrugged. "All that matters is that we keep making them, right?"  
  
Taking a bite of the greasy onion rings with a satisfying CRONCH she had to agree. Wasn't that how to deal with all of this? Stay positive. "Thanks, for all of this man" She kicked her heels off again and loaded in another token into the machine. "Ready to kick DR_MASTR of off the leader boards"?


End file.
